This film was huge when it was released back in 2000. Directed by Sam Mendes, it won an impressive 5 Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director.
It has quite a cast to boast also. With performances from Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Mena Suvari and Thora Birch.
Spacey plays Lester; a middle aged American male, who lives a supposedly rosy life in the suburbs with his all-american wife Carolyn(Bening) and reclusive daughter Jane (Birch). But all of the normality becomes boring to him, and things dont seem to be as perfect as he thought they were before. Is it just a mid-life crisis?
After meeting Angela, a friend of Janes at a school basketball game, he becomes completely besotted by her beauty and confidence. He begins to dream about her and constantly finds her on his brain. Not as seemingly interested in him as he is her, she just enjoys the attention of an older man. Lester begins to change his life-style in a bid to impress the young girl by working out more and smoking recreational drugs.
As all of this is going on, Carolyn is indulging in a lustrious affair with her real-estate competitor and his daughter Jane finds that she has a secret admirer with a video camera.
The story portrays a dysfunctional family and how they each cope. It is a somewhat self-destructive family, whereby each member is too selfish to worry about the others, and then its too late......
This is a great film drama and is somewhat dark and twisted. We get to see the unusual sexual desires of a married man, housewife and teenage schoolgirl. It is also quite an erotic film with sexual meatphors thrown about the place.
Mendes is a very clever, subversive director and it no wonder this film won so many awards. It unlike anything i have seen before and is very artistsic at times too.
The score is equally as impressive, with the music composed by Thomas Newman and suits the film very adequately.
The film runs for approx. 1 hr and 57mins and is deemed 18.
The special features aren't much to write about really. The DVD includes the usual trailers and audio commentry, and this includes a storyboard presentation with Sam Mendes alongside a behind the scenes featurette.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Production Year: 2007 - Drama - Director: Mike Binder - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Adam Sandler, Don Cheadle, Jada Pinkett, Liv Tyler, Saffron Burrows, Donald Sutherland, Mike Binder
Production Year: 1998 - Drama - Director: Carl Franklyn, Carl Franklin - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Meryl Streep, William Hurt, Renee Zellweger, Tom Everett Scott, Nicky Katt, Lauren Graham
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Hiya great start to the review, some more info would get you higher ratings. If you update let me know and id be happy to rerate, also if you need any help or advice (or just want a chat!) feel free to message me! Lisa xxx
mumsymary 13.06.2007 18:25
Saw this in 2000 with daughter and her bfriend enjoyed it . (they are now married )
From its first gliding aerial shot of a generic suburban street,American Beautymoves with ... more
a mesmerising confidence and acuity epitomised by Kevin Spacey's calm narration. Spacey is Lester Burnham, a harried Everyman whose midlife awakening is the spine...
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Look closer at the most talked about film of the year. A funny, moving and shocking ... more
journey through life in suburban America.Look closer at fortysomething ad man Lester Burnham and his status-seeking wife, Carolyn, as their marriage and lives slowly un...
From its first gliding aerial shot of a generic suburban street,American Beautymoves with ... more
a mesmerising confidence and acuity epitomised by Kevin Spacey's calm narration. Spacey is Lester Burnham, a harried Everyman whose midlife awakening is the spine...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Marking the feature film directorial debut of award-winning theatre director Sam Mendes ... more
this funny moving and shocking journey through life in suburban America follows the trials and tribulations of Lester (Kevin Spacey) and Carolyn (Annette Bening) ...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
Advantages: beautiful film, cinematography, great cast (spacey, Annette Benning..) Amazing soundtrack, brilliant storyline, compelling Disadvantages: Quite heavy, not good if you want to watch a light rom-com.
curvy_charlie 20.01.2008 (23.01.2008)
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Review of American Beauty (DVD)
Advantages: beautiful film, cinematography, great cast (spacey, Annette Benning..) Amazing soundtrack, brilliant storyline, compelling Disadvantages: Quite heavy, not good if you want to watch a light rom-com.
curvy_charlie 20.01.2008 (23.01.2008)
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Review of American Beauty (DVD)
![American Beauty [DVD] [2000]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78526734.jpg "American Beauty [DVD] [2000]")
Jun 13th, 2007
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